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John Barry School

Q: Is John Barry School a good school?

John Barry School ranks 241 st of 492 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

241^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 492 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Better than 51% of Connecticut elementary schools

Summary

John Barry School is an elementary school in Meriden, CT, serving 418 students in grades PK–5 as part of the Meriden School District. Over the past decade, the school has moved from the 17th percentile statewide (ranked 431st in 2015–2016) to the 51st percentile (ranked 241st out of 491 schools in 2025–2026), a steady climb that now earns it a 3-star rating.

John Barry's most remarkable strength is how well it serves students who are often underserved elsewhere. Hispanic students ranked 7th out of 129 schools statewide in 2025–2026 — the 95th percentile with a 5-star rating — and English Language Learner students ranked 1st among their comparison group with 5 stars. This stands out even more given that about 87% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, one of the highest rates in the area (only nearby Casimir Pulaski School is comparable). Math is another bright spot: in 2024–2025, 78.6% of 4th graders were proficient, far above the district's 61.6% and the state's 51.4%, and 5th grade math also beat district and state averages the following year.

There are a few areas to watch. Third-grade reading has lagged behind district and state averages (36.4% proficient in 2024–2025, improving to 42.3% the next year), though by 4th and 5th grade, students catch up and even surpass their peers. Science proficiency (41% in 2024–2025) trails the district and state as well. Chronic absenteeism has improved dramatically — from 28.8% in 2021–2022 to 14.1% in 2025–2026 — and is now below the district average, though it remains slightly higher than nearby schools in the Wallingford School District and Southington School District. The school also achieves these results with lower per-student spending than many neighboring elementary schools. Overall, John Barry is a school on the rise, with standout results for Hispanic and ELL students and a clear strength in math.

418

Students ?

14.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,862

Per pupil spending ?

86.8%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

124 Columbia St.
Meriden, CT 06450

(203) 237-8831

District: Meriden School District

Students who attend John Barry School usually attend:

High:

Orville H. Platt High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

69.1%

African American:

12.2%

White:

9.6%

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Compare John Barry School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 17th percentile in 2016 → 51st in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 34 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Connecticut median (51st percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Near the bottom of Meriden School District's ranking

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school55%

District avg56%

Connecticut avg51%

241^st of 492

Connecticut public elementary schools ?

Top 49%▲ up 34 pts since 2016

From bottom 17% (2016) to top 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Connecticut Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 8Elementary Schools in the Meriden School District

103^rd of 153Meriden School District among Connecticut districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	54.8	241 of 492	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.5	241 of 493	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.1	225 of 497	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	41.5	275 of 491	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.6	332 of 490	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.5	367 of 538	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	49.9	261 of 522	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.7	264 of 532	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2017	21.7	397 of 519	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	13.5	431 of 518	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	8.8	502 of 551	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	8.6	517 of 557	7.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	11.0	513 of 564	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	7.8	535 of 565	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	19.0	497 of 579	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	21.3	479 of 566	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	15.9	495 of 565	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	12.1	513 of 568	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	7.3	540 of 570	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2025	87.8	1 of 6	83.3%	★★★★★
2021	68.5	5 of 34	85.3%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2024	35.4	160 of 237	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.1	162 of 230	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.7	191 of 234	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	24.4	334 of 455	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	32.0	177 of 242	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	50.7	149 of 259	42.5%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	95.0	7 of 130	94.6%	★★★★★
2025	83.5	16 of 132	87.9%	★★★★☆
2024	92.1	11 of 111	90.1%	★★★★★
2023	80.7	13 of 108	88.0%	★★★★☆
2022	70.2	18 of 99	81.8%	★★★★☆
2021	67.8	39 of 173	77.5%	★★★★☆
2019	88.4	5 of 112	95.5%	★★★★★
2018	89.7	3 of 101	97.0%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	63.3	86 of 302	71.5%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2026	50.6	141 of 234	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	52.0	138 of 239	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.6	138 of 233	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	28.7	166 of 231	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.1	189 of 232	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.2	318 of 445	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	46.9	149 of 247	39.7%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Connecticut percentile	Rating
2021	59.0	131 of 371	64.7%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Hispanic (2026)95th percentile+44 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)83rd percentile+32 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2021)72nd percentile+40 vs school

Special Education (2021)65th percentile+33 vs school

Male (2026)40th percentile-11 vs school

Female (2024)32nd percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Connecticut (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics59%+9 vs state

English Language Arts50%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near John Barry School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				NGSS Science (2026)	SBAC English Language Arts (2026)			SBAC Mathematics (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	Total
John Barry School	Public	PK, KG-5	124 Columbia St.	Meriden	06450	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	Meriden School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 237-8831	418	29	14.4	86.8%	40 (9.6%)	51 (12.2%)	289 (69.1%)	6 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.4%)	54.8	241^st of 492 public elementary schools	51.0%		53.5	241^st of 493 public elementary schools	51.1%		493.0	42.3	47.9	61.4	55.1	60.6	61.4	$16,862
Benjamin Franklin School	Public	PK, KG-5	426 West Main St.	Meriden	06450	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	Meriden School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 235-7997	357	25	14.5	68.6%	95 (26.6%)	47 (13.2%)	183 (51.3%)	5 (1.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.3%)	64.4	200^th of 492 public elementary schools	59.3%		65.5	200^th of 493 public elementary schools	59.4%		68.8	54.1	54.3	56.3	72.1	65.7	52.1	$17,414
Israel Putnam School	Public	PK, KG-5	133 Parker Ave.	Meriden	06450	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	Meriden School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 237-8493	445	31	14.4	81.1%	77 (17.3%)	68 (15.3%)	249 (56.0%)	12 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (8.8%)	72.3	168^th of 492 public elementary schools	65.9%		66.7	188^th of 493 public elementary schools	61.9%	20	61.5	62.1	65.8	66.7	72.4	67.1	59.0	$15,294
Roger Sherman School	Public	PK, KG-5	64 North Pearl St.	Meriden	06450	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	Meriden School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 238-1286	457	34	13.6	84.5%	60 (13.1%)	49 (10.7%)	308 (67.4%)	12 (2.6%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (5.5%)	57.4	229^th of 492 public elementary schools	53.5%		56.7	232^nd of 493 public elementary schools	52.9%	3	495.0	47.6	57.8	58.4	47.6	56.6	67.3	$15,047
Casimir Pulaski School	Public	PK, KG-5	100 Clearview Ave.	Meriden	06450	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	Meriden School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 238-1273	539	37	14.5	87.4%	86 (16.0%)	53 (9.8%)	367 (68.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.8%)	47.5	261^st of 492 public elementary schools	47.0%		38.8	285^th of 493 public elementary schools	42.2%	24	51.6	48.1	49.5	40.9	65.1	48.3	47.8	$14,636
Nathan Hale School	Public	PK, KG-5	277 Atkins St. Ext.	Meriden	06450	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	Meriden School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 237-7486	485	32	15.3	76.1%	100 (20.6%)	51 (10.5%)	299 (61.6%)	10 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.2%)	75.8	147^th of 492 public elementary schools	70.1%		69	178^th of 493 public elementary schools	63.9%	31	504.0	63.4	54.5	82.9	75.6	66.3	73.7	$15,348
Hanover School	Public	PK, KG-5	208 Main St.	Meriden	06450	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	Meriden School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 235-6359	456	40	11.6	62.1%	100 (21.9%)	35 (7.7%)	286 (62.7%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.6%)	40.6	285^th of 492 public elementary schools	42.1%		30.1	323^rd of 493 public elementary schools	34.5%	38	47.1	32.5	39.7	43.7	44.6	64.5	54.0	$15,503
Thomas Hooker School	Public	PK, KG-5	70 Overlook Rd.	Meriden	06450	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	Meriden School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 237-8839	404	26	15.4	59.4%	94 (23.3%)	22 (5.4%)	259 (64.1%)	11 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.5%)	75.4	148^th of 492 public elementary schools	69.9%		80.3	106^th of 493 public elementary schools	78.5%	42	507.0	69.2	60.5	2622.0	79.5	60.5	65.7	$15,060
Mary G. Fritz Elementary School of Yalesville	Public	3-5	415 Church Street	Yalesville	06492	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	Wallingford School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 284-6900	265	26	10.3	30.6%	198 (74.7%)	2 (0.8%)	44 (16.6%)	13 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	7 (2.6%)	76.7	138^th of 492 public elementary schools	72.0%		75.3	142^nd of 493 public elementary schools	71.2%	4	512.0	66.0	70.7	57.3	79.8	72.8	62.7	$22,555
South End Elementary School	Public	K-5	10 Maxwell-Noble Drive	Plantsville	06479	Capitol Planning Region	Southington School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 628-3320	243	22	11.1	29.6%	200 (82.3%)	4 (1.6%)	24 (9.9%)	8 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.9%)	76.5	142^nd of 492 public elementary schools	71.1%		74.7	147^th of 493 public elementary schools	70.2%	5	505.0	58.3	72.2	64.3	70.2	77.8	71.4	$18,123

Frequently Asked Questions about John Barry School

Is John Barry School a good school?

John Barry School ranks 241^st of 492 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of John Barry School attend?

Students who attend John Barry School usually go on to attend:

High : Orville H. Platt High School

What district is John Barry School in?

Meriden School District

How many students attend John Barry School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 418 students attended John Barry School.

What is the racial makeup of John Barry School?

Students at John Barry School are 69% Hispanic, 12% African American, 10% White, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

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Latest Connecticut data All new data »

2024–25 through 2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesAug 31, 2026

2025–26 NGSS, SAT & SBAC test scoresAug 31, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataApr 2, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataNov 6, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.